Joseph arthub tuhg-eon



J. A. TURGEON.

TOOL HANDLE.

APPLICAT ON FILED JUNE 3. 1920.

1,375,069, 7 Patented Apr. 19, 1921.

UNITED STATESd JOSEPH ARTHUR TUBGEON, OE PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

TOOL-HANDLE.

Application field June 3, 1928.

5 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Josnrn ARTHUR TUR- unon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tool-Handles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to tool handles and particularly to a handle for use in connection with hammers, hatchets and the like.

The difficulty with the old form of handle used in hammers is that regardless of the character of the wood used, the handle frequently breaks at one of two of its weakest points, namely, the portion that projects from the eye of the tool head, or the intermediate portion of the handle. This weakness is a great disadvantage especially when the hammer is used for pulling nails and removing boards by means of the claw of the hammer. If the timber is' heavy, the handle will invariably break.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a hammer handle of this char acter which efliciently reinforces the handle at all points, and permits it to be used for heavy and light Work without the danger of the handle splitting or breaking.

Another object of the invention is to provide a handle of this character which properly strengthens the handle along its entire length and permits the operator to grasp the end of the hammer in the proper manner without danger of the portion of the handle near the head of the tool, breaking.

Another object is to provide a tool handle of this character having its central portion longitudinally slotted, said slot terminating adjacent the end of the handle and adapted to receive a reinforcing plate, said plate also serving as a wedge to retain the handle in the eye of the tool head.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved construction to be hereinafter more particularly described, fully claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a hammer with the reinforcing plate in position, and

Fig. 2 is a perspective new of the handle.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates a hammer head including a handle receiving eye 6. A handle 7 is provided, and has its Specification of Letters Patent.

iatented Apr. 19, 1921.

Serial No. 388,271.

end 8 enlarged to provide an eflicient hand grip. The end 8, tapers toward the intermediate portion 9, the end 10 also gradually tapering toward the intermediate portion 9.

Tn order to strengthen the handle, a longitudinal slot 11 is formed and extends through the front and rear faces of the handle. The slot also extends through the end 10 of the handle and terminates in spaced relation to the end 8. A metal reinforcing plate 12 is provided, and is intended to be disposed in the slot 11. This plate 12 coincides with the edges of the slot and has its end 13 provided with a spur 14 adapted to extend into the handle at the end of the slot. The end portion 13 of the plate, is inserted in the head of the hammer with the handle and serves as a wedge to prevent accidental disengagement of the hammer from the handle.

Fastening means such as rivets 15 extend laterally of the handle through the plate 12 to secure the plate in the handle. These rivets lie flush with the surface of the handle similar to the edges of the plate 12 so that in this way there are no projecting portions to interfere with the grip of the user on the handle.

An important feature of this invention, is that the plate does not terminate adjacent the head of the handle and at the same time does not extend the entire length of the handle, or through the end 8 but terminates adjacent the end 8. In this way, the handle is not weakened in any manner. Further more, the most vital points of the handle are firmly braced, namely, the intermediate portion and portion projecting from the eye. In addition to this the spur 14 eliminates unnecessary rivets or fastening means as it prevents the end of the plate from moving laterally of the handle. The end of the plate, also serves as a wedge and as the longitudinal edges of the plate adjacent the end 10 of the handle are exposed, they frictionally engage the end walls of the eye 6 so that in addition to the wedge formed by the end portion 14 within the eye 6, the longitudinal or exposed edges of the plate also engage the walls of the eye and firmly engage the same as the edges cannot be mashed as easily as the end of the handle so that when the head 5 of the hammer is once applied it remains firmly in position, no additional wedges or like securing means being necessary to prevent disengagement of the hammer head from the handle. It Will be noted that the end 8 of the handle is larger than the remaining portion of the handle. This permits the user to obtain a firm grip and use the hammer in the proper manner, namely by grasping the end of the same, and as the plate 12 does not extend through the entire length, but terminates closely adjacent the end 8, the form of the handle is not interfered with or weakened.

What is claimed is The combination With a tool head having an eye, a handle having a longitudinal slot extending through one end of the handle and terminating adjacent the opposite end of the handle, of a reinforcing plate disposed Within said slot, a spur projecting from one end face of the plate, said spur being adapted to penetrate the end wall of the slot, the opposite end of the plate and handle being disposed Within the eye of the tool head and coacting with the spur to pre- Vent movement of the plate Within the slot of the handle.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

JOSEPH ARTHUR TURGEON. 

